Recently, our work took us to a farm in northern Pennsylvania. The day before our visit, we heard that this family had experienced a fire the week before which destroyed their home. As we drove in the lane, we saw that indeed this was true. There was nothing left of the home, just a big hole in the ground. Large equipment had already cleared the remaining debris, reduced to a smoking rubble partway out the lane.

In conversation with the two daughters who care for the dairy, we learned that all had been lost except the refrigerator, washer and dryer which had been on the back porch. An open sided pavillion provided cover for a picnic table and two benches. Canned food and bottled drinks were stacked under a small canvas tarp. The parents are staying with one of the children, but the two middle-aged daughters are sleeping in the barn on reclinable lawn chairs, "showering" with the hose in the milkhouse. We didn't sleep very well that night, thinking of our friends.

Later in the week we had opportunity to stop by an enormous Cabela's store. We were traveling home from Allentown after a long day and thought we'd get a bite to eat in their cafeteria. Browsing the store, we saw aerobeds on sale, and bought two of them, along with sets of lightweight sleeping sacks.

This week we were again working in northern Pennsylvania. We stopped by the farm and dropped off the mattresses and bedding. Our friend cried. So did I.